Stephen Hawking's best lines

Prof Stephen Hawking appears with Flight of the Conchords in The Simpsons, 2010 Credits: Fox

The sharp-tongued humourist and humanitarian Stephen Hawking died aged 76 on Wednesday.

As well as being an award-winning nuclear physicist and intellectual, Hawking loved the limelight and made countless pop culture appearances - from spots on Star Trek, The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory, to having his voice sampled for Pink Floyd's 'Keep Talking'.

Here are the some of his best.

On John Oliver's sense of humour

Mr Hawking appeared on Last Week Tonight to discuss the possibility of infinite universes.

On not caring about IQ

When asked what his IQ is, Hawking replied, "I have no idea. People who boast about their IQ are losers."

His rap battle with Flight of the Conchords

No diss here - just a wholesome campfire rap battle with New Zealand's fourth most popular folk duo, with Lisa Simpson.

On running over Margaret Thatcher's toes

It was said that the award-winning intellectual liked to use his wheelchair to deliberately run over people's toes. Prince Charles fell victim to this prank in 1977 when the two were introduced at the Royal Society.

He was rumoured to have once said that his life's one regret was not running over the toes of Margaret Thatcher.

He unconvincingly told his biographer Kitty Ferguson that it was, "a malicious rumour. And I'll run over anyone who repeats it".

And on his endless optimism

Hawking was asked by the New York Times how he maintained his cheer.

He reflected on his diagnosis at age 21 as having motor neurone disease and being given a life expectancy of two years.